How Kate Middleton Is Managing Her 'Stress Levels' at Work After Chemo

Princess Kate Middleton made an unexpected but very welcome return to public duties alongside her husband, Prince William, on October 10, when the couple visited the town of Southport to show support following the July 29 attack on three children. As they made their way to the local community center, the pair looked more in sync than ever, with Kate dressed in an Alexander McQueen coat and a Whistles polka-dot dress and William in a matching burgundy sweater and tie under his blazer. “It was a reminder of what a powerful tag team they are,” royal expert and The King: The Life of Charles III author Christopher Andersen shared in the latest issue of Us Weekly, noting that William looked “deeply grateful to have his favorite person by his side.”

A month prior, Kate, 42, released a personal video message revealing she had completed her chemotherapy treatment and was looking forward to getting back to work. True to her word, she held a meeting at Windsor Castle with a 16-year-old cancer patient on October 2 and has added a few events — including her annual Christmas Carol Service — to her calendar. “Kate loves reconnecting with the community and representing her family, but she’s also trying to find a balance between her duties and personal well-being,” explains an insider. “She appreciates the sense of purpose but wants to ensure her stress levels don’t get [too high].”

Now she’s adjusting to life after treatment and her new normal — in which she’ll take on a less-demanding royal role as she continues to prioritize her health and spending quality time with her husband, also 42, and their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. “Kate has a lot more energy than she did even a few weeks ago,” Andersen tells Us. “She’s tremendously relieved that the treatments seem to have worked and she can call herself cancer-free, but she’s not taking anything for granted. She’s following doctor’s orders,” he adds. “[It’s] baby steps.”

Call of Duty

On September 9, six months after her cancer diagnosis announcement shocked the globe, Kate released an intimate, three-minute video assuring the public she was recovering. “As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatments,” she said over a montage of her and William and their kids sweetly connecting in a Norfolk forest, adding in part, “My path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes.” Says Andersen: “More than anyone, Kate wanted to let the world know that after months of grueling chemotherapy, she was going to be OK.”

While Kate’s October 10 visit to Southport alongside William was a surprise and intentionally kept low-key, her decision to join was not last-minute but came down to how well she felt that day. “She loves the work, but it can be tiring,” says the insider, noting that Kate is taking things day by day. The couple reportedly spent 90 minutes in private with the families of three young girls who lost their lives in the attack on the Taylor Swift–themed holiday workshop. They also met with a dance teacher who was seriously injured and first responders who were called to the scene.

“The Princess of Wales broke off and came back into the building to give a hug to the people who responded because she could see the emotion in them and could see it was difficult for them to relay their feelings and to say how impactful events have been,” Phil Garrigan, chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, explained after the engagement, according to the U.K.’s PA Media news agency. “I think that just shows a really caring side and is very, very touching for them.”

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Getting back into the swing of things has been a slow and steady process for Kate. In June, she offered a health update and noted she was “starting to do a little work from home” when she felt up to it. “Kate has been [doing this] for some time but is not yet back to full strength,” says Andersen. “It will be some time — certainly months — before we see her plunge headlong into a full-time schedule.” A second insider says the Palace “has scaled things back in terms of not having her travel too much too soon,” and Charles III author Robert Hardman tells Us there’s a “sense of practical optimism” within The Firm. “Kate is certainly conscious that she mustn’t overstress herself.”

The first insider notes that getting back out there is just as important to her healing and wellness. “It’s a double-edged sword. [Working] is good for her emotional well-being, but she needs to be careful not to overdo it. She is determined, motivated and taking care of herself along the way.”

She will likely take on some new issues as she resumes her royal duties, including cancer research and treatment, in addition to her work with early childhood development, first responders and mental health issues. While she won’t let cancer define her, “there’s no doubt that she will continue to speak firsthand about what it’s like to battle [the disease],” says Andersen. Adds the second insider: “Sharing her story has given her a lot of purpose. We will see her supporting cancer research charities more in the future.”

Personal Priorities

As was the case before Kate’s illness, family comes first. As Us previously reported, both William and Kate did their best to maintain their usual routines with the kids around her treatment, including school runs and extracurricular activities. (In her June update, Kate called it “a joy to engage with school life” during her good days.) “William and Kate have gone to great lengths to reassure them that all will be well, and all three children so far have proven to be incredibly adaptive,” says Andersen. “Their lives have really not changed much.”

William is relieved Kate is out of the woods and back in the swing of things with him. “Now that Kate is resuming some of her work, William is seeing real evidence that maybe things can return to normal,” says Andersen. He’s happy to let her set her own pace. “[The kids] will always be Kate’s priority, and I don’t think William begrudges her that at all,” he adds. “As a matter of fact, I think he’s very grateful. He’s not going to push her into doing anything she doesn’t want to do, and he took the same attitude before her diagnosis.”

The couple’s dynamic has changed over the last few months. “They love being together all the time,” says the first insider, and that William never takes a day for granted. “He knows how much worse it could have been if they hadn’t caught [the cancer] and treated it in time.” At home, the prince has helped with cooking and cleaning. “They don’t like having staff around at all hours, so William has been stepping it up,” adds the insider. “Kate thinks that’s been very cute and sweet.”

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It’s been a doubly hard time for William behind the scenes in light of his father King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis. The second insider says Charles, who announced his illness in February, “is still undergoing therapy,” adding that the family “hopes he will be in the clear by the end of the year.” (Charles, 75, did a six-day tour of Australia with his wife, Queen Camilla, 77, in mid-October. According to reports, he left a lunch in his honor after 10 minutes on Oct. 20.) He and Kate have leaned on each other pretty heavily, with Andersen noting they “now have this special bond.”

Feeling Grateful

Kate remains blown away by the outpouring of love and support she’s received.

“It gave a lot of light to her dark times,” says the second insider. The experience has forever changed her outlook on life. “[She sees] how it can change in the blink of an eye. Kate knows the cancer could show up again, but for the moment, she’s looking on the bright side,” Andersen adds. “She feels a cloud has been lifted, and she’s excited about the future.”

For more on Princess Kate Middleton, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on stands now.